Evaluate your technician progress

In our previous article, we discussed incentives, rewards, mentorship and development efforts for apprentices. This month, we will review a method to evaluate technician progress models. 

Let’s start with a high-level view of the development method per role. The development method is based on a track program with up to 15 tracks per role and various disciplines to master in order to move to the next track. The tracks don’t have to be linear, but are set up in a logical progression.

Training path or experiential?

This development method strongly encourages and values training, as some tracks require training or formal certification. It also encourages hands-on experiential learning that allows the apprentice to observe a model of the repair process performed in an efficient manner, and then he/she will practice the task under supervision.

Per track evaluations

To pass a discipline, apprentices need to meet any training or certification requirements and then complete the task on a customer vehicle unaided two times within the crash guide time allotted for the repair. In short, final discipline and track evaluations are tied to proper completion of the task in an industry standard time allotment.

Track Excerpt: Customer Service Representative (CSR) Greets Customer into Repair Center

Track Excerpt: Prep/Paint Technician Stages Vehicles for Entry into Booth

The Personal Development Passport

We are pleased to share a sneak preview of a personal development passport tool that is in the works.  The Personal Development Passport allows each technician or administrative staff member in the collision industry to carry a “virtual personal development passport,” which records completed training, certifications that have been earned, and the individual disciplines for which they have passed an evaluation. When all criteria are met, the staff member move up a level. This, in conjunction with practicing tailored development methods should positively impact career pathing.

Hands-On Welding Education

Who performs the evaluation?

The evaluator would be a journeyman technician or master painter who has already earned the certification for the specific discipline. If the facility does not have someone with that certification, then a manager who has sufficient knowledge of the task will certify the trainee, or a third-party evaluator may be brought in.

Benefits of track progression with personal passport

In our last article we reviewed the benefits of completing each track. They include the possibility that additional tools may be provided to the technician, the technician may earn additional wages, the technician could become a mentor or be promoted, and/or the technician could achieve personal pride in progressing to the next level in their trade.

Protections

As staff members are hired, establish clear expectations that the first 90-days will be based on one track level BELOW the level given at the time of hiring. This allows the facility managers 90 days to evaluate the new hires for the level of work they are capable of. Once verified, the pay immediately moves up to the level agreed upon. This prevents job hoppers from gaming the system.

Hopefully, this article has inspired you to consider using this new development method to provide a training and evaluation guideline for staff members. In future installments in the coming months, we will focus on the tracks and disciplines for body technicians.

Learn to correctly use aluminum welding and riveting equipment and more in this FREE one-day Commitment to Training event in October at Fox Valley Technical College. Space is limited.